Packing tips for frequent travel

Packing tips for frequent travel Reviews

I travel weekly, mostly, to my hometown. In my previous organization, I had to travel frequently for campus recruitments and HO review meetings. Sometimes I forgot my comb, sometimes my spectacles, sometimes my lens solution or the lens case. How difficult it is when I reach the destination hotel at 11:00 pm, after all shops have closed, and I realize I do not have my lens care items!

And so, I formed a kit and put it in the bag, I used the most for my short trips.

My Essentials List:

- Comb

- Slippers

- Body Lotion, Moisturizer, sunscreen lotion

- A small bottle of shampoo & conditioner

- Talcum powder

- Deo spray

- Kohl pencil

- Sanitary napkins

- Few sheets of old newspapers

- A couple of paper bags

- A pair of socks (you never know when it gets cold)

- A jacket (same reason!)

- Cotton buds (Cold, again)

- Small scissors (I once reached Hyatt, Bombay, after having travelled by plane, and wanted to cut the plastic strap locking my suitcase. I had no sharp instrument and had to ask room service for a knife! Wonder what they must have thought of me.)

- Medicines for cold, nausea, loose motions, fever and headache.

- A spare mobile charger

I also maintain the following in my handbag:

-Lip glosses in different shades

- A lip balm

- Comb

- Christian Dior travel perfume

- Hair pins

- Face wash and moisturizer

- Rubber bands

There may be more that can be added to the above 2 lists, which I'm sure I will learn on experience!

Some other tips:

- Keep important phone numbers, of your close friends and family, handy. Also, maintain a phone diary with all phone numbers (only saving the numbers on your cellphone doesn’t work. We all know what happens when we lose our phone)

- Find out if you know any friends, family, colleagues or ex-classmates in the city you are going to. It means a lot to have someone even faintly known in a strange place. You never know when you may need help.

- Also, you can meet up with your friends or family, using this opportunity. You never know when you meet them next!

- Travel regularly on business trips? Your tiring business trips can become mini vacations! Do a little research on the city. Find out what their traditions are – their cuisine, their famous spots, or any famous monuments. Use your spare time to try out the most popular restaurant serving the best local food. Or buy local souvenirs for your friends or family. Go into the interiors meeting locals. Go on a clicking spree with your camera.

- Carry a book along (or e-book on your PDA/Blackberry). We don’t get to read during our daily busy lives. Travel can be fruitfully used for reading.

If you enjoy travel, official trips are probably the best excuse. Use these trips to the best of your advantage and go crazy!

Recently I starting using the type of plastic bags for packing that allow you to press out air thus compacting your items. I found very tough bags for this purpose at REI that do not require a vacuum. You just press out or poll the bag with your clothes in them. The bags come in various sizes and are no more than about 15 US dollars. I also found a cheaper but very effective bag at Target. I would say that I have reduced my items 25% using this system which is very helpful when traveling. I also use gallon zip lock bags for organizing my stuff as well.